CKD is characterized by a high burden of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and others. Many of these conditions can be both a cause and consequence of CKD. In the presence of CKD, outcomes among patients with other comorbidities are typically worse than in the absence of CKD.  The most important consequences of CKD include renal disease progression that has the potential to lead to end stage renal disease (ESRD), or death.

Assessment of the processes of care and practice patterns related to the detection and management of CKD is an integral part of a national CKD surveillance system. Tracking the processes of care related to CKD could be instrumental in facilitating the implementation of early diagnostic steps and institution of appropriate therapies to either prevent the development of disease or slow progression of established disease. Examination of administrative health care data is a cost-efficient method for tracking processes of care in the practice setting.

Traditional topics considered for inclusion in the surveillance system cover areas of chronic kidney disease that are widely accepted and of direct relevance to public health based upon peer-reviewed research published over time. The section on emerging topics is designed to bring to light recent advances in chronic kidney disease relevant to public health surveillance of CKD. While it currently focuses on risk factors – both modifiable and non-modifiable, it is intended in the future to include other topics that provide novel insights into the burden of kidney disease, its geographic distribution and temporal trends, advances in processes of care (both diagnostic and therapeutic), and newer insights into awareness of CKD, associated health outcomes or health system capacity. These emerging topics could eventually evolve into more established concepts warranting formal attention in a CKD surveillance system and potentially even have widespread population health management, prevention and/or policy implications.